According to "Marike Kofoed", Louise Skovgaard' pedigree book,
Mariche Olufsdatter Kofoed was married three times. First to district-
bailiff Niels Hansen of Kuregrd, 33' Slg. Åker, they had three
children. Second to Niels Nielsen, also bailiff for the south
district and "bonde" at Kuregård, they too had three children. Last
in 1655 to Peder Ibsen of Kuregård and Store Loftsgård, 28' Slg., and
reeve (sandemand) for Åker parish; they had three more children.
Probate for Mariche Kofoed was held on November 23, 1670. A plague
struck Åker parish in 1653-1654, killing 108 and 480 people
respectively, among them were three of Mariche's children: her son
Niels and two daughters, all three were buried on the same day. From
the Åker kirkebog: 1653, #25: Funus, April 18, Nils Nilsen i
Strandbyen, t 43 aar. 1654, #136, 137, 138: Cantate, Mariche Nils
Nilsens udi Strandby, hendis sn Nils og 2 dattre. It must be noted
that in "1000 Aner til en Skovgårdsslægt", by Edvard Fabricius Sonne
Skovgaard (pub. 1989), there is no mention of Mariche being married
to a Niels Hansen; he attributes Niels Nielsen as being the father of
Mariche's first six children. Uncertain upon what evidence Louise
Skovgaard makes the assurtion that Mariche Olufsdatter Kofoed had
been married first to a Niels Hansen, who died circa 1648;
unfortunately the Åker parish register only begins in 1648. The
following might possibly be evidence of Mariche Kofoed having been
married to Niels Hansen? After the death of Niels Nielsen in 1653, we
find mention of a Mariche, widow of Niels Hansen, in the burial
record of two servants working at her farm. As the woman's name is
stated (and an implied ownership of the farm), this Niels Hansen must
have been deceased. It is not conclusive that this "Mareke Nils
Hansens" is the same as person as Mariche Olufsdatter Kofoed: 1)
1654, #316: "Funus, Mareche Nils Hansens dreng Peder."; 2) 1654,
#363: "Funus, August 14, Jens Nilsen hos Mareke Nils Hansen." Further
records from the Åker kirkebog: 1655, #2: Brudevielse, 1' Epip,
Peder Ibsen og Mariche sal. Nils Nilsens. 1655, #49: Dbt, 2' Adv,
Peder Ibsen sandemands datter Christine. 1658, #40: Dbt, 23' Trin,
Peder Ibsen sandemands søn Niels. 1661, #9: Dbt, Ltare, Peder Ibsen
sandemands søn Peder. 1670, #8: Funus, April 9, Mariche Peder Ibsens
sandemands, 53 aar. Child from Peder Ibsen's second marriage to Karen
Henningsdatter Bohn: 1673, #43: Dbt 2' Advent, Peder Ibsen sandemands
datter Mariche. July 9, 1687: Funus, Peder Ibsen sandemand, død 2
Julij t 63 aar. Kuregård, 33' Slg., is in an area known as Strandby;
which is a region along Åker parish's beach-front, it was densely
populated - hense the name: strand=beach, by=town. The church for
Åkirkeby township and Åker parish is located just outside of the
township of Åkirkeby proper, so paradoxically enough the town that
draws its name from the "River Church" (Aae Kirke) does not actually
have a church within its municipal boundries at all. Åkirkeby was the
traditional seat of Bornholm's judiciary authority, its "Landsting"
(Parliament), and the Aae Kirke was used as their meeting place.